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Mercury beat Sparks 78-77 on Griner's late basket

Brittney Griner hit a turnaround jumper with 4.9 seconds left, lifting the Phoenix Mercury to a 78-77 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks on Monday night in the deciding Game 3 of their WNBA playoff series.

Candice Dupree scored all but two of her 22 points in the first half, Dewanna Bonner added 19, and Taurasi had 18 points and 10 assists while improving to 6-0 in career elimination games with the Mercury.

Phoenix advanced to the Western Conference finals against top-seeded Minnesota. Game 1 is Thursday.

"I'm sick of always being on this podium talking after a loss," Parker said. "Clearly, we keep losing by one point at the end of the season so it's something we're doing."

After Parker gave the Sparks just their second lead of the fourth on a layup with 7 seconds to go, Griner responded with the winning basket for the Mercury.

"The minute she caught it and made her motion to shoot I just knew it was going in," Taurasi said. "I've seen her make that shot all year. For her to be up-and-down all series and take that shot just tells you a lot about Brittney and how mentally strong she is. She's willing to do anything for this team to win."

Parker missed a fling from the wing after getting trapped in the right corner as time expired, dashing her hopes of adding her first WNBA championship to her collection of NCAA titles and Olympic gold medals.

"I forced her out of the paint and I thought I contested," Parker said glumly. "She hit a good shot."

Both teams shot poorly in the fourth quarter, when they each went more than 2 minutes without scoring. The Mercury was 5 of 18, and the Sparks were 5 of 17.

"The defense was pretty good and both teams were tired," Phoenix coach Russ Pennell said. "I'm tired from trying to get them not being tired."

Taurasi found Jasmine James down low for a layin that extended the Mercury's lead to 76-73 with 1:15 left. Lindsey Harding got fouled and made both to draw the Sparks within one point.

Bonner missed a 3-pointer and after a timeout, Parker's layup put the Sparks ahead 77-76.

Taurasi then huddled up her teammates and Griner listened intently.

"She has a calming effect," said Griner, who was the second choice behind Taurasi to take her team's last shot. "She told us it's going to be OK, get the stop, get the ball back and we'll be fine."

The Mercury clinched their fifth conference finals appearance and fourth in the last five years.

Phoenix saw most of its seven-point lead evaporate in the third, when Griner picked up her fourth foul and sat the rest of the period. Toliver's jumper beat the buzzer to leave the Sparks trailing 66-64 heading into the fourth.

"We played well in spurts, but didn't play well enough for 40 minutes," Toliver said. "We lost our composure a little bit, turned the ball over, regained it, got stops, got on the boards. It just went back and forth. We just couldn't capitalize on our last possession."

The Sparks came in 0-for-21 from 3-point range in the series, and they finished the game 2 of 16.

The Mercury rallied from eight points down to lead 42-40 at halftime. Griner picked up her third foul and Taurasi got her second in the final 1:30 of the second quarter. Dupree, Taurasi and Bonner combined to score all of the Mercury's 23 points in the second, when they shot 73 percent.

Minnesota Lynx forward Maya Moore (23) and Atlanta Dream guard Angel McCoughtry (35) go after a rebound in the first quarter of game one of the WNBA Finals at Target Center.
Marilyn Indahl, USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Dream guard Tiffany Hayes (15) drives to the basket while defended by Minnesota Lynx guard Seimone Augustus (33) in the second quarter in game one of the WNBA Finals at Target Center.
Marilyn Indahl, USA TODAY Sports

Seattle Storm's Tanisha Wright, left battles with Minnesota Lynx's Maya Moore (23) and Rebekkah Brunson (32) with Storm's Noelle Quinn, right for a rebound during the first half of an WNBA basketball playoff game in Tacoma, Wash. on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2013.
John Froschauer, AP

Minnesota Lynx's Rebekkah Brunson comes up with a lose ball with Seattle Storm's Tina Thompson chasing during the first half of a WNBA basketball playoff game in Tacoma, Wash. on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2013.
John Froschauer, AP

Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) is congratulated by teammate guard Alexis Hornbuckle (14) during the against the Los Angeles Sparks in the first half during Game 2 of a WNBA basketball Western Conference semifinal series at US Airways Center.
Jennifer Stewart, USA TODAY Sports

Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner (42) during the game against the Los Angeles Sparks in the first half during Game 2 of a WNBA basketball Western Conference semifinal series at US Airways Center.
Jennifer Stewart, USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Sparks forward Candace Parker (3) talks with teammates on the court against the Phoenix Mercury in the first half during Game 2 of a WNBA basketball Western Conference semifinal series at US Airways Center.
Jennifer Stewart, USA TODAY Sports